Side dumping box



Aprii 10, 1956 w. SHEA ETAL 2,741,382

SIDE DUMPING BOX Filed Nov. 14, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l F I/y 8 15 Lindsey Wesi Skew Joseph (7. Sfireb a y George B. Bole '51 ATTORNEYS L. W. SHEA ET AL SIDE DUMPING BOX April 10, 1956 Filed Nov. 14, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IWAI "w INVENTORS Lindsey West Skew Joseph CfiSfireb a George B. Bole "d /zeadael ATTORNEYS United States Patent C ice SID PUM NG BOX Lindsey West Shea, Joseph C. Streh, and George B. liole,

Can on, Oh a s n r to The. Uni n M tal anugfil l flll Comp h n, Q ic a a i s sf Application November 14, E52, Serial No. 320,532

4 Cl ims- 2 1317) Our present invention relates to a material handling box for transporting materials and parts and more par ticularly and Specifically to a ovel. bottom dumping box carried on a material handling platform which is adapted to be lifted and transported by means of a power platform lift, fork lift truck or a crane sling. Even more specifically our invention relates to a bottom dumping materials box which is a side dumping box selectively positionable upon a lift platform or a fixed support to dump laterally to one side or the other of the lift or the fixed support.

The invention hereinafter disclosed and described constitutes a modification of and an improvement on the materials handling box construction disclosed in the Riemenschneideret a1. Patent No. 2,445,838.

In the Riemenschneider et al. patent it was generally established that power lift trucks are widely used for transporting materials in and around factories and industrial plants, including transporting materials from factory to warehouse and from factory or warehguse to shipping vehicles. The material supporting platforms used with power lift trucks are usually inverted lip-shaped platforms 01- skids, or double decked platforms known as -pallets, both of which have legs spacing the platforms above the floor to allow the fork o in element 9 h truck to be inserted under the platform.

However, the foregoing and other prior art structures ve certain disa v nt ge and are. i i ult to manipu for dump ng materials in small or cchfin d spaces-v It is, therefore a general object of the present invention to. provide a novel and improved bottom, side dumpthe box r f rk; or power lift cks or orr uc l n which will, over om e n us disadva tages o prior constructions, and which nco po ates he. improve m, from du p ng adv nt g s inher nt i he eneral construction ofthe aforementioned Riemenschneider et a]. patent.

hncthsr d o l porta i bject of the n tant invcnticn resides in e provision, o a hcvcl a d, hsescvc mat rials. h h liu has o th ype e erall s fo which e pcs t chec e e i ely on a cover h s c tc h i t track or he harn ss cf Qll BP E latcc llv: c t e has s ers ss cct v to has de o he cts thc cc t Still, fu her i i an. c isc cf he Ptcscht n en o to et vidc a novel a d mpro ed bot om cl mp ng he wh ch hanted o use w t a s ndard o lift. ick h he cdcl tica. c only s m e and hcxrcns c. e hanism t the t uck construc o heather. o je t is t cre ice n ince cvc hc cm slump n ox. co struction. n wh ch. the hex ma h raise t R l l ll a h n n na ion c th b t m wall to provide a maximum opening for the discharging ofthe contents of the box.

another object of the present invention resides-in the provision of a bottom dumping box for dumping laterally of a lift truck or like support which is readily utilized as a delivery'bqx for a work station parts supply 2,741,382 Patented Apr. 10, 1956 2 st ad such is shown and descri e n a co -readin appl c tio Serial 254,952 new Pa en N 2 690,277.

Fina ly, it i an: obj t o he Pres n i ven ion t prov de a novel and impr om d mpin o for lift ruck whic is simple, c mpa t a n pensive in construction, which is a pt d f u e with a f rk o p we l ft t uck or ra sling, and h ch is qu ltlv ca v n oa d und r ry g c n t of or in spac and into various dumping receptacles.

hes and other obj s e cc mp i he y t cp constructi ns tr a cmcnts mbinat ns a subc mhiha i us comp si e p ent in en ion e na u of which s set for h in h f l in gen ra sta men a p tence embcdhnc t of h h i se forth s th following description and illustrated in the accompanylu drawings, an w ich i Par i ular y and. distin y po nted out and set f rt n the appended laims form part hereof,

in g neral. terms e no l om a d side dump n hex comp i ing t e i nt n ion m y be a tl a including a material supporting platform or box bottom prov ded w t eg le a ing top ur ac abov the oes to hermi reception of the l f e em n of. a po c l f forh l ft. or cra e ing t e enea h. a four-s de b x, supported smit e pla orm nd hinged @1 92 at? sid thereofo the p atform w h means on a side of he bo perpendicular to the hinged side thereof; for hanging the has; on th mast of: a lift mic or othe support n order that one sideof'the h g d bo tom. l inc ine to a dumpins Position concurre ly ith the elev on of tha s d at the box, when th hex i raised or he l fti g e ement i lowe ed beneath. th ho e and abut-tics on tha side of the platform opposite its hinged eon on with the box; for engag ng t e adia cnt t t es or; sid of the lifting or external support e emen to p eve t mevcmch of the p at orm and he box away the dumpin s c of the pla rm during the dump .2 opera on.

Referring to th d a ings oamin a pa t hcrccf. i w h a Preferre embodiment of he in en on i show by way of: example:

Fig 1 is a persp ctive view of the novel clumpin box constru tion;

2 is a top p an view of he has co stcuct ch;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of. t e box coust ea;

Fig. an an. end. leva io o the box; constru on;

g. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on l n 511-5, Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sec ion taken o l n 6: Fie- 5 looking in the direction indicated;

is a Pe pecti w f he box. in, a c mpin condition at an elevated position on the, lift truck, and;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the. box in a. dumping conditign at a lowermost. position on the lift In the accompanying drawings, similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

While the invention is shown and described herein as applied to a skid platform and used with a standard fork lift truck of WQlirkflQWH make, it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to other types of material handling platforms including spacers, and may be used with any standard fork lift or high-lift platform power truck having a mast and a lifting element movable vertically thereon or with a crane sling type of support.

Referring now to the drawings, the improved bottom, side dumping box construction constituting the instant invention preferably includes a skid platform or the like, generally indicated at 10, and a four-sided, open=ended box, generally indicated-at 11, standing on one-open end on the platform.

The platform 10; preferablyconsists of a iiat central wall member 12 provided with perpendicular or an'gled, upstanding side Walls 13 extending along the length of two parallel and opposite ends of the central wall 12 thereby forming a chute-like construction.

. Two leg members 14 are secured to and depend from the underside of the platform one beneath each of the adjacent front and rear corners on one side of the platform, while an elongated beam-like foot member 15 having a vertical web 15a interconnecting upper and lower horizontal flanges 15b and 150 depends lengthwise, front and rear beneath the other side of the platform.

The platform proper as well as the leg members 14 may be constructed, if desired, of sheet metal or any material of like characteristics.

The leg members 14 and the beam foot 15 serve to space the platform above the floor so as to permit the fork or lifting element of a power truck to be inserted under the central wall 12 to permit the raising, lowering and general handling of the platform and the associated box by such a power truck.

Additionally, the beam foot member 15 is spaced inwardly from its adjacent side of the platform, and the upper portion of those edges of the legs 14 disposed outwardly of its adjacent side of the platform and opposite the beam foot 15 are notched out as at 16 for purposes to be hereinafter described.

The box construction for retaining small parts or loose materials on the top of the skid platform preferably consists of a four-sided open-ended construction, which when positioned as described with one open end standing on said platform, utilizes the platform as a closing bottom wall for the box.

The box preferably includes two side walls 17, a front wall 18 and a rear wall 19; the four walls having a series of horizontal corrugations 20 running continuously around the box for strengthening the same and permitting the use of comparatively light weight sheet material in the box construction.

The box construction further includes stacking seats 21 secured on the upper corners of the box walls to permit tiering or stacking of the box with boxes of like construction. These seats generally include flat plates 21a extending in one direction from each corner and similar plates 21b extending perpendicularly from plates 21a. The plates 21a and 21b are provided with upturned lips 21c, and 21d along the outside edges thereof. The dimensions and placements of the several stacking seat parts are such to receive and retain the foot members and beam of another box thereon and therein and to prevent lateral or longitudinal displacements of said foot or leg members,

The box 11 is positioned centrally of the platform with the front and rear walls thereof extending parallel to and spaced slightly inwardly from the upstanding walls 13 of the platform. A hinge means generally indicated at 22 is provided for hingedly connecting an upstanding flanged web 23 formed to extend from one side end of the platform with the adjacent bottom end portion of the box. The hinge means preferably includes horizontally spaced tubular bearing members 24 welded or otherwise secured to the lower end of the box, together with like tubular members 25 secured to the upper end of the web 23 and positioned intermediate the members 24 in axial alignment therewith to position a hinge pin 26 extending through the members 24 and 25 thereby rotatably hinging the box and the platform.

As is shown in Fig. 3, the legs 14 of the platform are of slightly lesser height than the height of the beam foot 15. This arrangement provides for an inclination of the platform downwardly from the free end thereof toward the hinged end. Small metallic blocks 27 are positioned at the platform corners adjacent the hinged end thereof. These blocks support the loweredge of that end of the box 11 and are of the same measurement in height as the clifierence in the measurements of the legs 14 and the beam foot 15. Thus, the upper edge of the box is maintained in a level condition, and undue stresses on the hinge which would otherwise occur with stacking of the boxes is relieved.

Hanger means generally indicated at 29. are secured centrally of the top of both the front and back walls 18 and 19 of the box for selectively hanging or supporting those walls of the box on the mast of a lift truck. The hanger means preferably include a fiat plate 30 secured vertically, by welding or the like, to the vertical face of the box wall, and such flat plate is provided with a horizontally projecting flange 31 along the length of its upper edge which flange extends outwardly for a spaced distance at which point it is turned through 99 in a downward direction to provide a vertical flange 32 extending along the length of the top edge of the hanger means in dependency from the flange 31 and in parallel with the plate 30. The bottom horizontal edge of the plate 30 is flanged outwardly to provide a horizontal plate 33 which extends perpendicularly to the box for a distance outwardly from the lower edge of the plate 30 in excess of the depth of the horizontal flange 31. Vertical side plates 34 enclose the ends of the hanger construction by extending between the upper horizontal flange 31 and the lower flange plate 33.

Hanger means of the construction described are provided on two opposed sides of the box to permit the box to be securely positioned on the mast to selectively dump in either lateral direction of the mast.

Referring to Figs. 5-7, the cooperation of the hanger means 29 with a hook element carried on the auxiliary mast 36 of a lift truck 37 is shown wherein the hook member, generally indicated at 35, is secured on a vertical plate 38 carried by and is relatively movable on the front face of the auxiliary mast 36 which auxiliary mast is movable vertically relative to main mast 36a. The hook 35 consists of an L-shaped projection 39 including a horizontal flange plate 40 extending outwardly from the top edge of plate 38 and provided with a vertical upwardly extending hook flange 41 at the extremity thereof.

When the dumping box is to be used in conjunction with a fork lift or power lift truck provided with an auxiliary mast and the dumping operation is to be achieved by raising the box on the auxiliary mast hook while maintaining the lifting element in a fixed vertical position, then the constructions and operation of those parts cooperating to secure the box on the auxiliary mast are generally as follows.

When the lift element is inserted under the skid platform in order to pick it up, the positioned mast hook will enter the box hanger means 29. As the lift element is inserted under the platform, the hook flange 41, of book 35, will telescope into the box-like hanger means 29 with the book 41 moving inwardly beneath hanger flange 32 until mast plate'38 abuts the projected end of the lower hanger flange plate 33. Then, when the auxiliary mast is moved upwardly for a small measured distance, the hook flange 41 will move into engagement behind the inner face of the hanging flange 32, as shown in Fig. 5, to securely hang the box on the mast.

In Fig. 6, it can be observed that the L-shaped hook member 39 of the mast is of lesser horizontal measurement than the distance between the side plates 34 of the hanging means. This permits the L-shaped member to slide horizontally within the limits of the plates 34 and it also permits the hanging means and box to rock or tilt about the hook member 35 in the manner shown in Fig. 6. This rocking or tiltnig movement of the box and the hanging means is limited by the engagement of the corner portions on the underside of the hook means 35 with the lower flange plate 33, as is generally illustrated at 50, and within the limitations of the tilt, a por tion of the hook flange 41 will always be maintained in engagement behind the top hanger flange plate 32 as is shown at 51. The binding action of thehook between the contact points indicated generally at 50 and 51 will form the mean extent of the tilting action obtainable between the box and the mast support.

Additionally, as will be noted in Fig. 5, the hook flange 41 engages closely behind hangerflange 3 2, th s do engagement of e ng ill -b f maile with the abutment of mast pl -rte 33 with the lower hanger plate 33 prevents any end play between the box and the mast thereby maintaining the two in secure but separable attachment.

When the box construction is positioned on the lifting element, either in the high elevated position shown in Fig. 7 or in any lower position such as is shown in Fig. 8, and it is desired to dump the box, then the flpfil'ation and function of the above described constructions are as follows.

' First, the box hanger means 29 is secured on the auxiliary mast hook 35 in the manner heretofore described.

When the box is properly hung on the auxiliary mast and has been raised to a desired dumping elevation, then the auxiliary mast 36a is raised upwardly independently of the lifting element which remains fixed. As the auxiliary mast and box move upwardly the box and the platform will open about the hinge causing the platform to incline downwardly away from the hinge, While the box will incline upwardly away from the hinge rocking about the mast hook as support pivot.

With opening inclination of the platform, the outside edge 61 of that fork adjacent the dumping side of the platform will engage the web a and the lower flange 15!: of the beam foot 15 and prevent the dumping side of the platform from moving toward the hinge during the dump ng operat n, a d the a l y f flang 15v engaging on the side edge of the fork will prevent the platform from coming off the fork.

This secure engagement of fork and beam causes the hinged end of the platform to swing upwardly and toward the dumping side about the fork as a center. This rotational swing of the platform causes the box to rock or tilt on the hook support, as described above, to raise the side of the box opposite the hinge simultaneously with lowering inclination of the free end of the platform therebeneath until the controlled limit of box tilt has been reached.

The simultaneous raising of the box end above the dropping platform end will free the contents of the box to slide or dump forwardly from the now inclined bottom wall, and as the material dumps the side walls of the platform guide or direct the material to the desired dumping location.

After the box contents have been dumped, the auxiliary mast is lowered to completely close the box on the platform, whereupon the mast hook may be lowered to disengage the box hanger, after the box has been lowered and transported to any desired location for placement.

In the preceding operation, as described, the point of dump from the box will remain substantially fixed and constant throughout the dumping operation since the free end of the platform from which the box contents spill remains substantially fixed within a very minor are described relative to the fixed and constant position of the lift fork on which the platform engages at all times.

However, when it is desired to accomplish the dumping operation by lowering the forks and thus lowering the bottom member while holding the box member stationary, this bottom lowering dumping operation may be achieved by supporting the box on the mast of a lift truck on hanger 29 and by then lowering the fork.

The construction of the platform and materials box has been described and shown as completely adapted for handling by means of the lift element of a power lift truck. However, the afore-described construction is, by reason of the leg notches 16 and inset position of beam foot 15, likewise completely adapted to be handled by a crane sling with such sling positioned beneath the platform edges in engagement with the foot members and the beam foot in the usual manner.

By reason of the construction permitting the ready a handling of the instant box construction by means of a sensationa r ne l n a p ratus, the 29x commotio may be easily andled a d lam cl b a stage s ng arana m m en an extern l. xed. s nnor ins h is used o u p su port of he box.

he ane s ing arrangement can be us d to p si iq the box n the Sup ort ng hook, and then t e be d mped by lowerinsfllc lin beneat the firs ox; th shut; ring and' uiding t e platform t an inc ine duniping position withoutinterfering with the opening fitting action of the box.

Further, while fl' t; box construction forming the prim ry mb d ment o he inst nt nvent on is Parti u arly d ted o a side um ing. psra r th box id 1 ab e th hinge Z2 is P ovide cent all on it top ed i an i te J-s ars s pport member 70 f gaging o h ma t hPQk elem?! 35 9. 3, $5 1. 9- t O e o c n ert he ox. o a, rom dawn 92 tion.

n nve d, to a from 1 4921.? o era in f o a ft le a r he beam f o .5 i l aim. o b th r n o tips of t e fo k. tnsat s of, a. l t t ack t p de r m n trea ies s bst nt al l k a deseribed in the aforenoted Riemenschneider et al. patent.

Likewise, a second U-shaped support member '75 is provided centrally of the end wall or" the box opposite its hinged connection to the platform to adapt the box to be positioned and supported on the work station parts stand disclosed in applieation, Serial No. 254,952, now Patent No. 2,69 0,27-;7,issued September 28, 19 54.

From the foregoing it can be" readily seen that a new and novel material handling box has been provided which is readily usable to handle materials and parts of any size and shape. Further, the inclination of the box bottom permits oily. parts to be handled wherein oil draining from the parts will flow to thelow end of the box to prevent sloshing and spilling in handling, and to prevent an initial splash or discharge of oil at the beginning of the dumping operation.

The novel and improved box construction herein disclosed provides a simple and inexpensive bottom dumping box adapted for use with power or fork lift trucks or with crane slings to achieve new and improved functions and operations not heretofore attainable with dumping boxes of prior known constructions.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use of a preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In bottom dump box construction for use with a lift truck having a mast and lift member movable thereon, a support member on the mast positioned above the lift member, said lift member and support member being vertically separable, angularly arranged rear, side and front walls forming a box having open upper and lower ends, a bottom member hingedly connected to said rear wall, hanger means mounted on at least one of said side walls, said hanger means including a horizontal downturned flange portion spaced from said side wall, vertical stop portions at the ends of the downturned flange portion, and a second horizontal flange portion spaced below the downturned flange portion; whereby the support member engages the hanger means to hang the box on tilted relative to said support member.

2. Bottom dump box construction as set forth in claim 1 in which the support member includes an upturned hook having a vertical flange portion; whereby the vertical flange portion of the hook engages within the hanger means to hang the box on the support member and allow the box to be selectively tilted relative to said support member.

3. In bottom dump box construction for use with a lift truck having a mast and lift member movable thereon, a support member on the mast positioned above the lift member, said lift member and support member being vertically separable, angularly arranged rear, side and front walls forming a box with open upper and lower ends, a bottom member hingedly connected at one end to said rear wall, an abutment member with an inturned flange portion mounted projecting downwardly from the bottom member at the end of the bottom member opposite the hingedly connected end, leg members mounted projecting downwardly from the bottom member at the hingedly connected end of the bottom member, hanger means mounted centrally on at least one of the side walls engageable with the support member for hanging the box from the support member, said hanger means including a horizontally downturned flange portion spaced from the box wall and vertical stop portions at the ends of the downturned flange portion, and said hanger means including a second horizontal flange portion spaced below the downturned flange portion; where by the support member engages the hanger means to hang the box on the support member and allow the box to be selectively tilted relative to said support member, and separation of the support member and the lift member with the box so positioned on the support member and the bottom member supported on the lift member inclines the bottom member laterally of the lift member to dump the contents of the'box to the side of the truck.

4. In bottom dump box construction for usewith a lift truck having a mast and lift member movable thereon, a support member on the mast positioned above the lift member, said lift member and support member being vertically separable, angularly arranged rear, side and front walls forming a box with open upper and lower ends, a bottom member hingedly connected to said rear wall, hanger means mounted centrally on at least one of the side walls engageable with the support member for laterally tiltably hanging the box from the support member, and said hanger meanstincluding stop means thereon for limiting lateral movement of the hanger means in reference to the support member when said hanger means and said support member are en gaged; whereby separation of the support member and the lift member with the box hanger means engaged on the support member and the bottom member supported on the lift member inclines the bottom member laterally of the lift member while tilting the box relative to the support member to dump the contents of the box to the side of the truck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,430,655 Irrgang Oct. 3, 1922 1,742,738 Turner Jan. 7, 1930 2,302,666 Dempster Nov. 24, 1942 2,445,038 Riemenschneider et al. July 31, 1948 2,596,881 White May 13, 1952 2,631,745 Addison, Jr Mar. 17, 1953 2,678,743 Backofen et al May 18, 1954 

